US6595254B2 - Pneumatic tire including zig-zag main grooves - Google Patents

Pneumatic tire including zig-zag main grooves Download PDF

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Publication number
US6595254B2
US6595254B2 US09/881,700 US88170001A US6595254B2 US 6595254 B2 US6595254 B2 US 6595254B2 US 88170001 A US88170001 A US 88170001A US 6595254 B2 US6595254 B2 US 6595254B2
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
groove
inclination angle
shoulder
center
tread surface
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Fee Related, expires
Application number
US09/881,700
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English (en)
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US20020000277A1 (en
Inventor
Hiroshi Iizuka
Hirokatsu Maruyama
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Yokohama Rubber Co Ltd
Original Assignee
Yokohama Rubber Co Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Yokohama Rubber Co Ltd filed Critical Yokohama Rubber Co Ltd
Assigned to YOKOHAMA RUBBER CO., LTD., THE reassignment YOKOHAMA RUBBER CO., LTD., THE ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: IIZUKA, HIROSHI, MARUYAMA, HIROKATSU
Publication of US20020000277A1 publication Critical patent/US20020000277A1/en
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Publication of US6595254B2 publication Critical patent/US6595254B2/en
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Expired - Fee Related legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60C—VEHICLE TYRES; TYRE INFLATION; TYRE CHANGING; CONNECTING VALVES TO INFLATABLE ELASTIC BODIES IN GENERAL; DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS RELATED TO TYRES
    • B60C11/00—Tyre tread bands; Tread patterns; Anti-skid inserts
    • B60C11/03—Tread patterns
    • B60C11/04—Tread patterns in which the raised area of the pattern consists only of continuous circumferential ribs, e.g. zig-zag
    • B60C11/042—Tread patterns in which the raised area of the pattern consists only of continuous circumferential ribs, e.g. zig-zag further characterised by the groove cross-section
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60C—VEHICLE TYRES; TYRE INFLATION; TYRE CHANGING; CONNECTING VALVES TO INFLATABLE ELASTIC BODIES IN GENERAL; DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS RELATED TO TYRES
    • B60C11/00—Tyre tread bands; Tread patterns; Anti-skid inserts
    • B60C11/03—Tread patterns
    • B60C11/0306—Patterns comprising block rows or discontinuous ribs
    • B60C11/0309—Patterns comprising block rows or discontinuous ribs further characterised by the groove cross-section
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60C—VEHICLE TYRES; TYRE INFLATION; TYRE CHANGING; CONNECTING VALVES TO INFLATABLE ELASTIC BODIES IN GENERAL; DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS RELATED TO TYRES
    • B60C11/00—Tyre tread bands; Tread patterns; Anti-skid inserts
    • B60C11/03—Tread patterns
    • B60C11/04—Tread patterns in which the raised area of the pattern consists only of continuous circumferential ribs, e.g. zig-zag
    • B60C11/042—Tread patterns in which the raised area of the pattern consists only of continuous circumferential ribs, e.g. zig-zag further characterised by the groove cross-section
    • B60C11/045—Tread patterns in which the raised area of the pattern consists only of continuous circumferential ribs, e.g. zig-zag further characterised by the groove cross-section the groove walls having a three-dimensional shape
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60C—VEHICLE TYRES; TYRE INFLATION; TYRE CHANGING; CONNECTING VALVES TO INFLATABLE ELASTIC BODIES IN GENERAL; DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS RELATED TO TYRES
    • B60C11/00—Tyre tread bands; Tread patterns; Anti-skid inserts
    • B60C11/03—Tread patterns
    • B60C11/13—Tread patterns characterised by the groove cross-section, e.g. for buttressing or preventing stone-trapping
    • B60C11/1307—Tread patterns characterised by the groove cross-section, e.g. for buttressing or preventing stone-trapping with special features of the groove walls
    • B60C11/1323—Tread patterns characterised by the groove cross-section, e.g. for buttressing or preventing stone-trapping with special features of the groove walls asymmetric
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10S—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10S152/00—Resilient tires and wheels
    • Y10S152/90—Tread pattern having no blocks and having circumferential ribs defined by zig-zag circumferential grooves

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a pneumatic tire provided with a plurality of main grooves extended in a tire circumferential direction on the tread surface. More particularly, the present invention relates to a pneumatic tire capable of controlling uneven wear occurring in the vicinity of the main grooves.
  • a single or plural curvature radius (tread radius), as a curvature, in a tire meridian direction is imparted based on the inner surface shape of a die mold.
  • the curvature radius on the tread surface tends to be changed during pressurization due to its inner structures such as a belt layer buried inside the tread portion, tread rubber and the like.
  • this change is absorbed by the groove portion, resulting in the occurrence of a phenomenon such as bending of the tread portion at the groove bottom as a boundary.
  • the above bending phenomenon is significant.
  • the edge portion of the rib adjacent to the groove does not match the specified curvature radius of the tread surface, and the ground-contacting pressure on the rib edge portion is significantly changed.
  • uneven wear occurs with the rib edge portion as a starting point, resulting in a growth of railway wear.
  • the object of the present invention is to provide a pneumatic tire capable of effectively controlling uneven wear occurring in the vicinity of a main groove even in the case where the groove width of the main groove is widened due to a change in the tread radius during inflation.
  • a pneumatic tire of the present invention for achieving the foregoing object is a pneumatic tire provided with a plurality of main grooves extended in a tire circumferential direction on a tread surface, characterized in that, with regard to some of the main grooves among the foregoing plurality of main grooves, which have zigzag shapes swinging in a tire width direction and also whose groove width is widened during inflation, in a bent portion near the shoulder, an inclination angle of a groove wall near the center with respect to the tread surface is made larger than an inclination angle of a groove wall near the shoulder, in a bent portion near the center, the inclination angle of the groove wall near the shoulder with respect to the tread surface is made larger than the inclination angle of the groove wall near the center, and regions where the inclination angles of such opposed groove walls are different from each other are arranged uncontinuously in the tire circumferential direction.
  • the inventors of the present application found out that, in the case where the zigzag-shaped main groove having the groove width widened due to the change in tread radius during the inflation, a ground-contacting pressure on an edge portion having a convex shape in a bent portion of the main groove is locally increased, and that the uneven wear occurs with that portion as a starting point.
  • the inclination angle of the groove wall near the shoulder is made smaller than 90°
  • the inclination angle of the groove wall near the center is made smaller than 90°
  • the foregoing rigidity adjustment portion should be provided in an area within 0.15 Z on both sides of the groove bent point.
  • FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view taken along a meridian direction, showing a pneumatic tire according to an embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 2 is a development view showing a tread pattern of the pneumatic tire according to the embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 3 is an enlarged plan view showing principal portions of the pneumatic tire according to the embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 3, taken along a line IV—IV.
  • FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 3, taken along a line V—V.
  • FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 3, taken along a line VI—VI.
  • FIG. 1 shows a pneumatic tire according to an embodiment of the present invention.
  • a reference numeral 1 denotes a tread portion; a numeral 2 denotes a side wall portion; and a numeral 3 denotes a bead portion.
  • a carcass layer 4 is bridged, and both end portions thereof in a tire width direction are wound up around bead cores 5 , respectively from the tire inner side to the tire outer side.
  • a plurality of belt layers 6 are buried.
  • a plurality of straight-shaped main grooves 7 a extended in the tire circumferential direction and a plurality of zigzag-shaped main grooves 7 b extended in the tire circumferential direction while swinging in the tire width direction are formed.
  • the main grooves 7 a are located at the tread center side, and the main grooves 7 b are located more to the shoulder side than the main grooves 7 a .
  • These main grooves 7 a and 7 b define the plural columns of ribs 8 .
  • side grooves, sipes and the like, which are extended in the tire width direction may be provided on the tread surface 1 a according to needs.
  • the curvature radius of the tread surface 1 a is changed during inflation, and the tread portion 1 is bent mainly at the groove bottom of the main groove 7 b on the shoulder side as a boundary.
  • the groove width of the main groove 7 b is slightly widened compared to that before the inflation. It is possible to intentionally design the tire inner structure causing such a bending phenomenon based on the belt layer 6 , the tread rubber and the like. For example, if the circumferential rigidity in the vicinity of the tread shoulder is relatively increased, growth of the outer circumference in the vicinity of the center is relatively increased during the inflation.
  • the inclination angle of the groove wall W 1 near the center is made larger than the inclination angle of the groove wall W 2 near the shoulder in the bent portion near the shoulder, and in the bent portion near the center, the inclination angle of the groove wall W 2 near the shoulder is made larger than the groove wall W 1 near the center.
  • solid lines of the main groove 7 b indicate outlines thereof on the tread surface, and dotted lines indicate outlines thereof at the groove bottom.
  • FIGS. 4 to 6 are cross-sectional views of FIG. 3, taken along lines IV—IV, V—V and VI—VI, respectively.
  • the inclination angle ⁇ 1 of the groove wall W 1 near the center with respect to the tread surface 1 a is made larger than the inclination angle ⁇ 1 of the groove wall W 2 near the shoulder with respect to the tread surface 1 a .
  • the inclination angle ⁇ 1 of the groove wall W 1 near the center is set larger than 90°
  • the inclination angle ⁇ 1 of the groove wall W 2 near the shoulder is set smaller than 90°.
  • both the inclination angle ⁇ 2 of the groove wall W 1 near the center and the inclination angle ⁇ 2 of the groove wall W 2 near the shoulder are set smaller than 90°.
  • the inclination angles ⁇ 2 and ⁇ 2 may be somewhat different from each other within a range smaller than 90°.
  • the inclination angle ⁇ 3 of the groove wall W 2 near the shoulder with respect to the tread surface 1 a is made larger than the inclination angle ⁇ 3 of the groove wall W 1 near the center with respect to the tread surface 1 a . More specifically, in the bent portion near the center, the inclination angle ⁇ 3 of the groove wall W 2 near the shoulder is set larger than 90°, and the inclination angle ⁇ 3 of the groove wall W 1 near the center is set smaller than 90°.
  • the tread portion 1 is bent mainly at the groove bottom of the main groove 7 b on the shoulder side as a boundary during the inflation, and the groove width of the main groove 7 b is slightly widened compared to that before the inflation. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 2, the ground-contacting pressure on the edge portion E with a convex shape in the main groove bent portion tends to be locally increased.
  • the inclination angle ⁇ 1 of the groove wall W 1 near the center is made relatively large in the bent portion of the main groove 7 b near the shoulder, and the inclination angle ⁇ 3 of the groove wall W 2 near the shoulder is made relatively large in the bent portion near the center, whereby the rigidity in the vicinity of the edge portion E is reduced to control the increase of the ground-contacting pressure on the rib edge portion.
  • the uneven wear such as railway wear occurring in the vicinity of the main groove can be effectively controlled.
  • the rigidity adjustment portions 9 in which the inclination angles of the opposed groove walls W 1 and W 2 of the main groove 7 b having the groove width widened during the inflation are made to differ from each other, are uncontinuously arranged in the tire circumferential direction as shown in FIG. 3 . More specifically, the portions whose rigidity is to be lowered are locally arranged, and the initial rigidity of the portions other than the above is not changed, thus enabling the uneven wear to be effectively controlled.
  • the rigidity adjustment portions 9 In the event of uncontinuously arranging the rigidity adjustment portions 9 in the tire circumferential direction, for the zigzag pitch Z in the tire circumferential direction of the main groove 7 b having the groove width widened during the inflation, the rigidity adjustment portions 9 is provided in an area within 0.15 Z on both sides of the groove bent point. If the rigidity adjustment portion 9 is out of the area within 0.15 Z on both sides of the groove bent point, evenness of the ground-contacting pressure is lowered, thus facilitating the uneven wear to occur. It should be noted that, in the case where the zigzag-shaped main groove 7 b is not provided with obvious bent points, it is satisfactory if outlines of the main groove are extended toward the bent portion, and an intersection point of these extended lines is assumed as a bent point.
  • the number of main grooves provided on the tread surface is not particularly limited, and it is satisfactory if the groove width of at least a part of the zigzag-shaped main grooves is widened during the inflation.
  • the inclination angle ⁇ 1 of the groove wall near the shoulder is set at 80° while the inclination angle ⁇ 1 of the groove wall near the center is set at 100° in the bent portion near the shoulder, and in the bent portion near the center, the inclination angle ⁇ 3 of the groove wall near the center is set at 80° while the inclination angle ⁇ 3 of the groove wall near the shoulder is set at 100°.
  • the regions where the inclination angles of the opposed groove walls are different from each other are uncontinuously arranged in the tire circumferential direction.
  • each inclination angle of the both groove walls of the zigzag-shaped main grooves having the groove width widened during the inflation are set at 80°.
  • Uneven wear property of these test tires was evaluated.
  • two pieces of either the tires of the present invention or the conventional tires were attached as front tires to each of eight trucks, and were made to run mainly on a highway for a sixty thousand kilometers. Thereafter, occurrence of the uneven wear on the tread surface of each tire was observed.
  • the railway wear occurred in six tires among sixteen tires.
  • the railway wear occurred only in two tires among sixteen tires, including the one only with a sign thereof.
  • the present invention in the pneumatic tire provided with the plurality of main grooves extended in the tire circumferential direction on the tread surface, even if the groove width of the main grooves is widened due to the change in tread radius during inflation, the uneven wear occurring in the vicinity of the main grooves can be effectively controlled.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Tires In General (AREA)
US09/881,700 2000-06-21 2001-06-18 Pneumatic tire including zig-zag main grooves Expired - Fee Related US6595254B2 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
JP2000186764A JP4316113B2 (ja) 2000-06-21 2000-06-21 空気入りタイヤ
JP2000-186764 2000-06-21

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US20020000277A1 US20020000277A1 (en) 2002-01-03
US6595254B2 true US6595254B2 (en) 2003-07-22

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Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
TWI488758B (zh) * 2012-09-17 2015-06-21 Cheng Shin Rubber Ind Co Ltd Tire tread structure with multiple asymmetric surface trenches
US9278582B2 (en) 2010-12-21 2016-03-08 Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations, Llc Tire tread having developing grooves
US11214100B2 (en) * 2017-08-03 2022-01-04 Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd. Tire

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US7278294B2 (en) * 2005-04-12 2007-10-09 Durham Kenimer Giles System and method for determining atomization characteristics of spray liquids
KR101890367B1 (ko) * 2017-01-02 2018-08-21 넥센타이어 주식회사 공기입 타이어

Citations (11)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3055410A (en) * 1960-01-29 1962-09-25 Atlas Supply Company Tires
DE1480927A1 (de) * 1964-01-15 1969-03-13 Continental Gummi Werke Ag Laufflaechengestaltung fuer Fahrzeugreifen,insbesondere Luftreifen
JPS5244903A (en) * 1975-10-07 1977-04-08 Bridgestone Corp Pneumatic tire for heavy vehicle to reduce railway wear
US4258691A (en) * 1976-05-19 1981-03-31 Bridgestone Tire Company Limited Pneumatic tire having an improved uneven wear resistance
JPS60197409A (ja) * 1984-03-21 1985-10-05 Toyo Tire & Rubber Co Ltd 自動車用空気タイヤ
JPS63166606A (ja) * 1986-12-27 1988-07-09 Ohtsu Tire & Rubber Co Ltd トラツク、バス用バイアスタイヤ
JPH02155808A (ja) * 1988-12-09 1990-06-14 Yokohama Rubber Co Ltd:The 空気入りタイヤ
JPH04372405A (ja) * 1991-06-19 1992-12-25 Toyo Tire & Rubber Co Ltd 偏摩耗を防止した空気入りラジアルタイヤ
JPH0648123A (ja) * 1992-07-29 1994-02-22 Toyo Tire & Rubber Co Ltd 空気入りタイヤ
JPH10272906A (ja) * 1997-03-28 1998-10-13 Yokohama Rubber Co Ltd:The 空気入りタイヤ及びそのタイヤ成形用金型
US6412531B1 (en) * 1999-07-15 2002-07-02 Michelin Recherche Et Technique S.A. Tire tread having groove walls with compound contours

Family Cites Families (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2050653A5 (enExample) * 1969-06-19 1971-04-02 Michelin & Cie
JPS5250717B2 (enExample) * 1973-07-02 1977-12-27
JP2879699B2 (ja) * 1990-06-28 1999-04-05 横浜ゴム株式会社 重荷重用偏平空気入りタイヤ
JP3115585B2 (ja) * 1990-10-02 2000-12-11 株式会社ブリヂストン 空気入りラジアルタイヤ
JP3076089B2 (ja) * 1991-06-25 2000-08-14 株式会社ブリヂストン 重荷重用空気入りタイヤ
JP3366093B2 (ja) * 1993-12-24 2003-01-14 横浜ゴム株式会社 空気入りラジアルタイヤ
JP3398730B2 (ja) * 1994-06-22 2003-04-21 東洋ゴム工業株式会社 重荷重用空気入りラジアルタイヤ
JP4149058B2 (ja) * 1998-12-18 2008-09-10 株式会社ブリヂストン 重荷重用空気入りタイヤ

Patent Citations (11)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3055410A (en) * 1960-01-29 1962-09-25 Atlas Supply Company Tires
DE1480927A1 (de) * 1964-01-15 1969-03-13 Continental Gummi Werke Ag Laufflaechengestaltung fuer Fahrzeugreifen,insbesondere Luftreifen
JPS5244903A (en) * 1975-10-07 1977-04-08 Bridgestone Corp Pneumatic tire for heavy vehicle to reduce railway wear
US4258691A (en) * 1976-05-19 1981-03-31 Bridgestone Tire Company Limited Pneumatic tire having an improved uneven wear resistance
JPS60197409A (ja) * 1984-03-21 1985-10-05 Toyo Tire & Rubber Co Ltd 自動車用空気タイヤ
JPS63166606A (ja) * 1986-12-27 1988-07-09 Ohtsu Tire & Rubber Co Ltd トラツク、バス用バイアスタイヤ
JPH02155808A (ja) * 1988-12-09 1990-06-14 Yokohama Rubber Co Ltd:The 空気入りタイヤ
JPH04372405A (ja) * 1991-06-19 1992-12-25 Toyo Tire & Rubber Co Ltd 偏摩耗を防止した空気入りラジアルタイヤ
JPH0648123A (ja) * 1992-07-29 1994-02-22 Toyo Tire & Rubber Co Ltd 空気入りタイヤ
JPH10272906A (ja) * 1997-03-28 1998-10-13 Yokohama Rubber Co Ltd:The 空気入りタイヤ及びそのタイヤ成形用金型
US6412531B1 (en) * 1999-07-15 2002-07-02 Michelin Recherche Et Technique S.A. Tire tread having groove walls with compound contours

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US9278582B2 (en) 2010-12-21 2016-03-08 Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations, Llc Tire tread having developing grooves
TWI488758B (zh) * 2012-09-17 2015-06-21 Cheng Shin Rubber Ind Co Ltd Tire tread structure with multiple asymmetric surface trenches
US11214100B2 (en) * 2017-08-03 2022-01-04 Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd. Tire

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Publication number Publication date
JP2002002226A (ja) 2002-01-08
US20020000277A1 (en) 2002-01-03
JP4316113B2 (ja) 2009-08-19

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